Over the past week, a campaign targeting Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Armenian Service (“Azatutyun”) and attempting to discredit it through social media posts has been observed, which is highly concerning from the perspective of ensuring freedom of expression in the country. The campaign had started earlier but intensified after accusations were directed at the media outlet by several high-ranking officials and groups supporting them.

Of particular note in this regard are the Facebook posts by Arayik Harutyunyan, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office of the Republic of Armenia; Ruben Rubinyan, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly; and Artur Hovhannisyan, Secretary of the Civil Contract parliamentary faction. In these posts, “Azatutyun” was accused, among other things, of spreading fake information and providing one-sided coverage, while the professionalism of the media outlet was called into question.

Many of those who joined the criticism took it upon themselves to lecture the editorial team, including dictating whom it should invite for interviews, what questions should be asked, or why a statement by an opposition figure that fundamentally contradicts the official position was published.

This is nothing other than a condemnable attempt to interfere with editorial independence—something that neither the media outlet concerned nor the journalistic community as a whole can accept, regardless of political preferences. Especially since “Azatutyun” has demonstrated through its work that it is open to presenting opposing views and ideas, as well as to discussing and correcting its own possible shortcomings.

Meanwhile, in this case, instead of tolerating and accepting criticism, addressing identified shortcomings, and responding to opponents with substantive counterarguments, high-ranking representatives of the authorities have effectively turned their attacks against one of the news organizations with the richest experience and strongest traditions of quality journalism in Armenia’s media landscape. This is particularly unacceptable at a time when quality media outlets are objectively facing difficult circumstances, encountering serious financial and political challenges.

We, the undersigned journalistic organizations, noting that the publications which recently became the subject of targeting and unfounded accusations against “Azatutyun” concerned issues of public importance, and that attempts to obstruct the coverage of such issues by targeting any media outlet are unacceptable, call on:

Representatives of the authorities to end the practice of organizing campaigns to discredit this or any other media outlet, and to resolve information-related disputes and express disagreements through the same platforms by using opportunities for corrections, responses, or rebuttals;
Media outlets not to succumb to political pressure, while continuing to ensure pluralism and contribute to citizens’ right to be informed;
The public to consistently demand that authorities uphold democratic values, respect freedom of expression, and demonstrate tolerance toward criticism, especially when engaging with media outlets guided by high professional standards.